Recipe Background
Why does everyone love the Family-Favorite Baked Ziti? Well, tender ziti is just the beginning! Then we move into the sauce, which alone would win awards for how rich and meaty it is, complete with plenty of sweet tomato flavor, alongside some herbaceous seasonings. A cheesy, tangy sauce mixed into the pasta sauce and then mozzarella layered throughout means every bite of Family-Favorite Baked Ziti is incredibly, undeniably cheesy and delicious! Let this become a favorite for your family, too!
Why does everyone love the Family-Favorite Baked Ziti? Well, tender ziti is just the beginning! Then we move into the sauce, which alone would win awards for how rich and meaty it is, complete with plenty of sweet tomato flavor, alongside some herbaceous seasonings. A cheesy, tangy sauce mixed into the pasta sauce and then mozzarella layered throughout means every bite of Family-Favorite Baked Ziti is incredibly, undeniably cheesy and delicious! Let this become a favorite for your family, too!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt to taste
- ground pepper to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese grated, divided
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 egg
- 16 ounces ziti or mostaccioli
- fresh parsley optional, to taste, minced, for garnish
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and the garlic and sauté until they start to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Italian sausage and the ground beef, while crumbling, and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain off most of the fat, but reserve a little with the meat mixture to retain flavor and moisture.
- Add the whole tomatoes with their juices, the tomato sauce, the Italian seasoning, the red pepper flakes, the salt, and the pepper to the meat mixture, stirring to combine.
- Simmer the meat sauce until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.
- Reserve 3-4 cups of the sauce and allow it to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella, the parmesan, the egg, the salt, and the pepper in a separate bowl, stirring a couple of times, but not mixing it completely.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but drain it just before it is al dente. Rinse it under cool water to stop the cooking process.
- Pour the pasta into the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine, still allowing for large lumps.
- Add the cooled reserved meat sauce to the pasta-cheese mixture and toss to combine.
- In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, add 1/2 of the pasta mixture.
- Spoon 1/2 of the remaining sauce over the top of the pasta layer.
- Top the sauce layer with 1/2 of the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers.
- Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve.
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